How We Learn: Why Brains Learn Better Than Any Machine . . . for Now

The deeper our brain processes information, the better we can remember.

The immense number of parameters that neural networks possess often leads to a second obstacle, which is called “overfitting” or “overlearning”: the system has so many degrees of freedom that it finds it easier to memorize all the details of each example than it is to identify a more general rule that can explain them.

it interprets errors as markers of intrinsic inferiority.

And this is perhaps the worst effect of discovery learning: it leaves students under the illusion that they have mastered a certain topic, without ever giving them the means to access the deeper concepts of a discipline.

Procedural memory: When we repeat the same activity over and over again (tying our shoes, reciting a poem, calculating, juggling, playing the violin, cycling . . .),

In the field of learning, the effectiveness of the human brain remains unmatched: machines are data hungry, but humans are data efficient. Learning,

Because it forces you to think first, to try to remember the meaning of the word before you receive feedback. Once again, active engagement followed by error feedback maximizes learning.

Active engagement takes place in our brains, not our feet. The brain learns efficiently only if it is attentive, focused, and active in generating mental models.

brain organization provides us with both a powerful start-up kit and an equally powerful learning machine.